This application claims priority of International Application No. PCT/GB00/01760 filed May 8, 2000 and published in English. This application also claims priority of Great Britain Patent No. 9910459.8, filed May 7, 1999 and Great Britain Patent No. 9928024.0, filed Nov. 27, 1999.
This invention relates to a storage system for the storage of a collection of items, such as compact discs (CDs), CD-ROMs and DVD discs or other data discs or tapes in their original cases. In particular the invention relates to a storage system which comprises a number of modules which can be releasably attached to each other so that the system can be simply expanded to accommodate more compact discs, CD-ROMs and DVD discs in their original cases at any desired location within the storage system.
In this field a large number of shelf units, cabinets, stands and trays are already available and have been specifically designed to appropriate dimensions to hold and store CDs and CD-ROMs. They range in capacity from small trays for 10 or 12 CDs to large cabinets with the capacity to hold hundreds of discs. These are generally manufactured in wood, metal or plastic and incorporate slots to hold individual CD cases neatly in place. U.S. Pat. No. 5,645,329, which issued to Madock on Jul. 8, 1997, discloses a modular CD case holder of this sort.
The known shelving systems suffer from the disadvantage that when a collection grows in quantity such that it necessitates filing in a specific sequence in order to facilitate ease of retrieval (commonly in alphabetical order) there is no facility for inserting additions to the collection in the correct position without in turn moving the rest of the collection along slot by slot. For example, if a collection of 100 discs is arranged alphabetically to fill the first 100 adjacent slots in a shelving system, then if a new disc beginning with the letter xe2x80x9cCxe2x80x9d is added to the collection, it may be necessary to move each one of 80 or more discs to the next adjacent slot in order to create an empty slot in the correct position for the new disc.
The present invention is directed to overcoming one or more of the problems set forth above.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a storage system for a collection of items which allows expansion of the system at the ends of the storage system or at intermediate locations within the storage system to accommodate the addition of items to the collection at any required position within the collection.
According to a first aspect of the present invention there is provided a storage apparatus for the vertical storage of compact disc cases or other data media cases including a plurality of box-like holders, each holder including a base, which in use is substantially horizontal, and first and second opposing side walls, which in use are substantially vertical, the side walls each having an inner face and an outer face and being adapted to hold a case in a vertical position in a clearance fit between the respective inner faces of the first and second opposing side walls, wherein each holder is provided with first and second fastening means adjacent to the first and second walls respectively, adapted to permit the releasable engagement of the first fastening means of one holder with the second fastening means of an adjacent holder.
Preferably the first and second fastening means are mutually engageable snap fit elements.
Preferably the first fastening means is a male fastener and the second fastening means is a female fastener.
According to a first preferred embodiment the first fastening means includes a resilient tongue member extending along the length of the first side wall from the front of the holder to the rear of the holder, and the second fastening means includes a groove member extending along the length of the second side wall from the front of the holder to the rear of the holder. Preferably the first and second fastening means are adapted to permit mutual separation by a peeling action.
Preferably each holder includes a rear wall extending between the first and second side walls, and wherein the front of the holder is open.
According to a second preferred embodiment the first and second fastening means each comprise a plurality of projecting portions and a plurality of apertures disposed between the projecting portions. Preferably the projecting portions comprise vertically extending ribs and the apertures comprise vertically extending slots adapted to engage with the vertically extending ribs of an adjacent holder, and wherein each projecting portion on the first side wall has a corresponding aperture on the second side wall directly opposite, and each projecting portion on the second side wall has a corresponding aperture on the first side wall directly opposite.
Preferably at least one of the projecting portions is shaped to provide a resilient snap fit connection with the corresponding aperture of an adjacent holder.
Preferably the apparatus includes one or more track members adapted to support the holders, each holder being provided with engagement means beneath the base adapted to releasably engage with said track members. Preferably the track members comprise rail members and the engagement means includes recesses formed in resilient material and adapted to releasably snap fit onto the rail members or otherwise engage with the rail members.
According to a third preferred embodiment the first fastening means includes a horizontally extending lug provided on the first side of the base and the second fastening means includes a corresponding cut-out provided on the second side of the base.
Preferably the first side wall is discontinuous and is adapted to engage with the second side wall of an adjacent holder when the first and second fastening means are mutually engaged, such that the inner and outer faces of the first side wall are coplanar with the outer and inner faces respectively of the second side wall of the adjacent holder.
Each holder may be formed of resilient plastic or rubber material.
According to a second aspect of the present invention there is provided a holder for use in a storage apparatus according to the first aspect of the invention, including a base, which in use is substantially horizontal, and first and second opposing side walls, which in use are substantially vertical, the side walls each having an inner face and an outer face and being adapted to hold a compact disc case or other data media case in a vertical position in a clearance fit between the respective inner faces of the first and second opposing side walls, wherein the holder is provided with first and second fastening means adjacent to the first and second walls respectively, adapted to permit the releasable engagement of the first fastening means of one holder with the second fastening means of an adjacent identical holder.
Preferably each holder includes a rear wall extending between the first and second side walls. Preferably the front of the holder is open.
Preferably each holder is formed of resilient plastic or rubber material. Preferably each holder has a width between the opposing side walls corresponding to the external width of a CD case, a CD-ROM case, a DVD case or other data media case. The side walls of each holder may project below the base to form a downward facing hollow box portion beneath the base. The rail engagement recesses may be formed in the downward projecting part of the side walls. Each holder may be provided with a front face projecting below the base and forming a front wall of the downward facing hollow box portion. The front face may be adapted to receive a label or similar.
Preferably the rail members are of metal.